This invention relates to materials handling equipment and in particular to an access door for a materials handling apparatus.
Materials handling equipment is well known in the art such as, for instance, standardized modules for use with a conveyor line for transporting printed circuit boards whereby the printed circuit boards can be transported to equipment, either automated equipment or equipment operated by operators, for performing operations on the printed circuit boards. Such standardized modules are manufactured by Bosch Automation Products of Buchanan, Michigan and may include modules to:
change the transport direction of printed circuit boards by 90.degree.;
pick up unpopulated printed circuit boards and to load them onto a conveyor; PA2 accept populated circuit boards from a process line and to load them into a magazine rack; PA2 remove populated printed circuit boards from a preloaded magazine rack and then to introduce them into a process line; PA2 provide first in/first out or last in/first out printed circuit board buffering and compensating for different assembly process times or prolonged delays; PA2 raise or lower printed circuit boards from one transport level to another; PA2 invert printed circuit boards to permit operations on the board's reverse surface; PA2 redirect printed circuit boards to create numerous line layout possibilities:
set up an inspection loop; PA3 reverse board transport direction; PA3 shift the location of the assembly area on the floor; and PA3 merge one transport line into another;
In the prior art many of these modules can be connected together and controlled by a central control for a printed circuit board manufacturing line. Alternatively, the need has arisen for independent modules which are designed to work together but with each have their own controls package on board. These modules can communicate with each other but, since they are independent, the manufacturer of these modules cannot control how they will be assembled into a manufacturing line.
These modules include walls with apertures therein through which the printed circuit boards can be transported into the module as well as walls with apertures through which the printed circuit boards, after the module has performed its function, can leave the module.
The need exists to provide access doors for such apertures whereby access to the interior of these modules is prevented while the operations within the module are taking place. Such access doors both prevent unauthorized access by persons to the interior of such modules during the time when operations are performed inside the modules and also prevent contamination of the interior of the modules by dust and the like.